The new 'padayatra' is being undertaken by state Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy to celebrate the inauguration of an irrigation scheme in the perennially drought-hit Rayalaseema region.
TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Sharmila, sister of party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, have already begun state-wide 'padayatras'.
Raghuveera Reddy's foot march, named 'Bhagiratha Vijaya Yatra', would begin at Malyala in Kurnool on November 18 and end at Jeedipalli in Anantapur district on November 29.
The 'Anantha Venkata Reddy Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi' irrigation project is conceived by lifting flood flows of Krishna river from foreshore of Srisailam reservoir for providing drinking water for about 33 lakh people and creating irrigation potential of over six lakh acres.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy would open the first pump house on November 18, as part of the opening of first phase of the project, at Malyala in Kurnool. State Congress president Botsa Satyanarayana would flag off the 'padayatra'.
Raghuveera Reddy's 'padayatra' would cover a distance of 236 kms in 12 days.
The realisation of the project is a dream coming true for the parched lands of Rayalaseema as the project was first conceived during the British rule, Raghuveera said.
The irrigation commission of the Centre had identified Rayalaseema districts, including Anantapur, Kurnool, Chittoor and Kadapa, as chronically drought affected way back in 1972, officials said. (More)
